The 2025 NFL season might be the most unpredictable one in years. From the Lions losing both elite coordinators to the 49ers trying to rebound from a nightmare season, to the Bears betting big on Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, the storylines are endless. And then there’s Travis Hunter, the two-way phenom who could change the league, if the Jaguars can figure out how to use him.
Here are the biggest questions heading into the 2025 NFL season and the teams with the most to prove.
Can the Lions Survive Major Coaching Losses?(1/2)
Dan Campbell isn’t the play-caller on either side of the ball, as his style is based on leadership and culture. To have success as this archetype, you need to have a well-built staff and a smooth turnover when you lose coaches. So far, he hasn’t had to replace a coordinator, but last year, he did revamp his defensive position coaches, firing both the D-line and DB coaches. The defense did show noticeable improvement, and while it’s hard to say this is the exact reason there was improvement, there’s a strong case that those changes made a real impact. This gives me some optimism about how Campbell can handle staff transitions.
Offensively, this will be a huge test. New OC John Morton hasn’t called plays since 2017, and that Jets offense ranked dead last in success rate. Morton didn’t rely heavily on play-action or under-center concepts, which are things Ben Johnson leaned on heavily. So stylistically, I have questions, and while Morton could’ve evolved over the last eight years, there’s also a high chance Detroit’s offense takes a step back. The good news is that Campbell has a deep offensive background and was involved in play-calling early in his tenure. He’s also had steady input on the offense the past few years, which could help Morton keep the system on track.
Can the Lions Survive Major Coaching Losses?(2/2)
Still, the Lions were a top-three offense by almost every metric last year. Losing your play-caller, offensive line leader, and key voices in the room makes it hard to believe they’ll maintain that level. A regression to the 10–13 range feels realistic. Not a collapse, but enough to put more pressure on the defense and Campbell’s ability to steer the ship.
On defense, Campbell has said he wants to be more involved now that Glenn is gone. Kelvin Sheppard, last year’s linebackers coach, is now the DC. Reportedly, he was very close to Glenn and was preparing for a DC role. Promoting from within should provide some stability, especially with players who’ve already bought into the culture. The Lions also dealt with numerous injuries on defense, so it is possible that being healthy and losing Glenn will cancel each other out.
This is Dan Campbell’s chance to prove that the Lions’ success wasn’t just a product of elite coordinators. If he navigates this transition and keeps this team contenders, it’ll cement him as one of the league’s top coaches.
Was the 49ers’ 6–11 Disaster a One-Year Fluke or a Sign of What’s Coming? (1/3)
The 49ers went 6–11 in what was a complete disaster of a season, but that record doesn’t tell the full story. It felt like the offense couldn’t get anything going, yet they still finished 11th in EPA, 12th in success rate, and top 10 in DVOA. Those are shockingly good numbers for a team that looked out of sync for most of the year. The truth is, Kyle Shanahan remains one of the top play-callers in the NFL, and just having him gives the team a consistently high floor. No matter how rough things looked, Shanahan’s scheme kept the offense moving.
One of the biggest positives this offseason was the return of Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator. Just look at how good the Jets’ defense was when he was running it, and what happened when he left. His track record speaks for itself, and it’s a major win for a 49ers defense that has been pretty bad the past two years.
Shanahan has also started to shift his offensive scheme. Instead of relying heavily on the classic outside zone that the Shanahan tree is known for, he’s moved toward more Power and Duo runs. While also dialing up more traditional dropbacks to cater to Brock Purdy’s strengths. If Christian McCaffrey can return healthy, that alone could push this offense back into top 3 territory. There’s reason to be cautious as he’s older and is coming off a bad injury.
Was the 49ers’ 6–11 Disaster a One-Year Fluke or a Sign of What’s Coming? (2/3)
The offensive line is a real question mark. Colton McKivitz and the interior are major concerns. Jake Brendel is a league-average center, and while rookie Dominic Pooney has promise, the group as a whole remains shaky. Trent Williams is still elite when he’s on the field, but he’s now 37 and has become increasingly injury-prone. He could fall off at any point, and if he does, the entire line could unravel quickly.
Despite the issues up front, the 49ers still have elite skill-position players. George Kittle continues to be one of the best tight ends in the league, both as a blocker and receiver. Aiyuk, who won’t be available until midseason due to injury, is a true No. 1 X-receiver. He consistently wins against man, press, and zone coverage, and has become one of the most underrated wideouts in the league. Ricky Pearsall didn’t make his debut until Week 7 last year after being shot in the offseason. Once he settled in, he started cooking DBs in man from the slot. His role should only grow this year. Jauan Jennings remains one of the best WR3s in the league and gives them physicality and reliability.
Was the 49ers’ 6–11 Disaster a One-Year Fluke or a Sign of What’s Coming? (3/3)
On defense, Fred Warner continues to be the best linebacker in football. He plays the run without losing anything in coverage, thanks to his freakish athleticism and football IQ. Nick Bosa is still a top-three pass rusher, with elite get-off, refined moves, and strong run defense. The 49ers added Mykel Williams in the first round, and he’ll start opposite Bosa. Williams will be a good run defender right away. He also doesn’t need to be a primary pass-rusher, which is the perfect role for him. San Francisco also used 2nd and 3rd round picks on Alfred Collins and CJ West. Showing a real focus on fixing a run defense that’s been bad for two straight seasons.
The secondary is the most uncertain part of the roster. Deommodore Lenoir is a steady starter at LCB, and Ji’Ayir Brown moves into a full-time SS role. Rookie Malik Mustapha has the athleticism to play FS, but still needs to grow in coverage. Two sophomores, Renardo Green and Upton Stout, are projected to start at RCB and nickel. There’s upside in this group, but also real inexperience, and that could get exposed early if the pass rush doesn’t get home.
At the end of the day, I’m going to bet on Shanahan. His resume is too good to ignore, and last year feels like an outlier more than anything else. I don’t think the 49ers are contenders, but if they stay healthy, they should make the playoffs. If the injuries stack up again, this take could age horribly, but it’s hard to predict health. I believe in Shanahan and the 49ers’ overall infrastructure to bounce back.
Can Ben Johnson Finally Fix the Bears’ Broken Offense? (1/3)
The Bears made the biggest coaching hire of the offseason by landing Ben Johnson, the top candidate on the market. Johnson spent the past three years as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, where his units ranked 4th in EPA per play and 5th in success rate. He’s proven he can build and sustain a top-5 offense, and his system is undeniably quarterback-friendly. Jared Goff was left for dead before thriving under Johnson. The hope is that his arrival brings the same structure and stability to Chicago. No head coach hire is guaranteed, but Johnson’s résumé and track record fit the mold of elite play-callers who’ve made the jump successfully.
Caleb Williams enters his second season after an up-and-down rookie year. That’s not uncommon for a young quarterback, especially considering he was playing behind a bottom-tier offensive line that led the league in unblocked sacks, a dysfunctional coaching staff, and misused skill players. Despite all of that, Williams still flashed the tools that made him the No. 1 pick: excellent pocket presence, the ability to create outside structure, and high-end playmaking flashes. His processing needs to speed up, but he showed enough to believe growth is coming. When Thomas Brown took over as offensive coordinator last season, there was a stretch where Williams looked like he was starting to hit his stride before the coaching upheaval completely derailed things. Ben Johnson’s presence should bring much-needed stability.
Can Ben Johnson Finally Fix the Bears’ Broken Offense? (2/3)
One area that will improve immediately is pass protection. Johnson’s Lions teams were not only loaded with talent up front but were exceptionally prepared in their protection schemes, and Chicago heavily upgraded its interior this offseason. Joe Thuney is one of the best pass-protecting guards in football, Jonah Jackson is a powerful run blocker, and Drew Dalman brings a reliable presence at center. Johnson’s system also takes pressure off the line with a balanced approach and smart play sequencing, so this group should look far better in 2025.
The wide receiver deployment last season was a mess. DJ Moore was miscast as a true X receiver when he’s at his best underneath, using his YAC ability to create chunk gains. Rome Odunze, on the other hand, was used almost exclusively on underneath routes and screens. Despite being a big-bodied, physical wideout with an 80% success rate vs. press coverage and a full-route tree skill set. Johnson knows how to put his players in the best positions to succeed, and simply deploying Moore and Odunze correctly will elevate this passing attack. Rookie Luther Burden, a second-round pick, adds another dangerous YAC threat from the slot. While first-round tight end Colston Loveland brings huge upside at the position.
Can Ben Johnson Finally Fix the Bears’ Broken Offense? (3/3)
Johnson’s Lions teams also featured a dominant run game over the past three years, and while Chicago doesn’t have the same elite offensive line or running back room, the scheme should help maximize what they have. This group may not reach Detroit’s level right away, but it should be balanced enough to keep defenses honest.
The Bears’ offense is loaded with weapons, a young quarterback with elite upside, and one of the best play-callers in football. It might take a little time for everything to click in Ben Johnson’s first year, but this unit has top-5 potential. I’m projecting them to finish as a borderline top-10 offense in 2025.
Can Bryce Young Build on His Late-Season Surge… or Was It Fool’s Gold? (1/2)
Bryce Young had a historically bad start to his NFL career. In 2023, he posted a brutal -184 EPA, and even in 2024, he was benched midseason. But after returning to the lineup, something clicked. From Weeks 8–15, he ranked 20th in CPOE+EPA. But over the final three weeks of the season, he jumped all the way up to 8th, a sign of real momentum.
Young’s physical limitations are obvious. He’s 5’10”, lacks arm strength, and struggles to drive throws into tight windows. For him to succeed, he has to win with elite accuracy, quick decision-making, anticipation, pocket toughness, and post-snap processing. He has no margin for error. And to his credit, after coming back from the benching, he started showing signs in all those areas. He looked more confident standing in the pocket, showed off his ability to layer throws on deep posts, digs, and corners (especially against zone coverage, where he posted an 80% success rate), and displayed excellent timing on out-breaking routes.
Can Bryce Young Build on His Late-Season Surge… or Was It Fool’s Gold? (2/2)
He also received praise from multiple coaches for how well he handles protections pre-snap, which is something that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet but matters a lot for young quarterbacks. One ongoing weakness, though, is the quick game. He struggles with footwork, often playing too much on his toes. This was an issue even in college. However, he’s shown real comfort on RPOs, which remove the footwork element. If Dave Canales leans more into those, it could unlock more consistency from Young.
The supporting cast around him is finally improving. The O-line helped create in my opinion top-5 run game with Chuba Hubbard. The receiving group is young, deep, and exciting: rookie Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and the reliable Adam Thielen form a solid group. And Canales looked great in his first season as a playcaller. Young finally has structure; now it’s time to see what kind of quarterback he can become.
I don’t ever see Bryce Young becoming a true top-10 QB. The physical tools just aren’t there. But if he masters the timing game like Tua has, I think he can settle into that 12–15 range and have stretches where he plays at a top-10 level. This is a make-or-break season for him in Carolina.
Will the Texans’ Offensive Line Finally Protect Their Super Bowl Hopes? (1/2)
The Texans entered last season with Super Bowl buzz. They had a top-10 quarterback, elite skill players, and one of the league’s best defenses. On paper, it was all there, except for the offensive line, which completely fell apart and ultimately held the team back. Right before Week 1, their offensive line coach tragically passed away, and it’s hard to ignore the impact that had on the unit’s performance. From there, things spiraled. The Texans ended up with one of the worst pass-protecting units in the NFL.
This offseason, they tore it all down. The most notable move was trading away LT Laremy Tunsil to Washington. While Tunsil was still playing at a borderline top-10 level, his decline was visible. He posted his lowest one-on-one win rate ever, which hovered around league average, and led all offensive linemen in penalties. He still allowed just 2 sacks and 19 pressures, but the Texans decided the contract wasn’t worth it. Still, when you have a top-10 QB on a rookie deal and all the pieces around him except the line, moving off your one good offensive lineman is a tough sell. His replacement, Cam Robinson, allowed 52 pressures and 7 sacks last year. While he was an average starter in Jacksonville not long ago, he’ll need a major rebound.
The rest of the offensive line overhaul doesn’t inspire much more confidence. Laken Tomlinson was brought in after a rough year in Seattle. He was below average in both pass and run blocking. The Seahawks were so eager to replace him, they used their 18th overall pick to do it. Ed Ingram is in the same boat; Minnesota let him walk and then paid a new guard the biggest contract of any guard in free agency.
Will the Texans’ Offensive Line Finally Protect Their Super Bowl Hopes? (2/2)
Tytus Howard, the one respectable holdover, will shift to right guard after the Texans moved on from Shaq Mason. Howard is a reliable starter but not a star; he has good size and athleticism. Howard can also play inside or out. Still, the team is banking on Howard’s versatility to patch the hole. At RT, Blake Fisher enters his 2nd year with intriguing upside thanks to his size and athletic traits. But last year he started in 7 games and looked pretty bad to put it nicely.
The optimistic view is that this unit finally gets a year of coaching continuity under new OC Nick Caley, and with the right schematic support, they could be the 20th-ranked group. But that’s a best-case scenario. Realistically, this is still a bottom-tier line. Out of all five projected starters, only one is even average right now. The rest range from unproven to flat-out poor. The ceiling isn’t very high, and the floor is worse than last year.
Long-term, gutting this line and starting fresh may have been the right call. But in the short term, expect growing pains. The Texans downgraded in the trenches, and unless a few things break their way, it’ll show again in 2025.
Did the Seahawks Just Downgrade at the NFL’s Most Important Position?(1/2)
This offseason, the Seahawks made a very bold move, trading away Geno Smith and signing Sam Darnold. The logic behind it is clear: they saved money, got younger, and brought in a quarterback more suited for Clint Kubiak’s Shanahan-style offense. But while the decision might make sense on paper, I’m not sold on it in practice. I think this move makes them significantly worse at the most important position on the field.
Geno Smith is a top-10 quarterback, plain and simple. Sam Darnold, on the other hand, is the type of QB who plays to the level of the team around him, and in Seattle’s case, that’s a concern. He’s going from the best supporting cast in the league in Minnesota to arguably the worst in the NFC. This move reminds me of the Nick Foles situation, where a quarterback looks solid in a great environment, signs elsewhere, and immediately crumbles behind a weaker infrastructure. While it’s not a perfect one-to-one comparison, the situation is similar.
This pass-catching group leaves a lot to be desired. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a very good player and could emerge as a true 1A, but Cooper Kupp has lost a step. He struggled badly to separate against man coverage last season, especially when pressed. Matthew Stafford’s elite ball placement helped mask this at times; now that he’s with Darnold, those tight windows are going to look a lot tighter. On top of that, the fit between JSN and Kupp feels awkward, with both working best out of the slot. Marquez Valdes-Scantling rounds out the group as a WR3, but he’s a one-dimensional deep threat at this point. This room lacks an X receiver, and that could be a serious problem.
Did the Seahawks Just Downgrade at the NFL’s Most Important Position?(2/2)
Sam Darnold played well last year when the Vikings’ O-line was healthy and he was kept clean. But when protection broke down, he started to see ghosts. His performance under pressure was rough; he ranked 3rd in completion percentage over expected when clean, but dropped to 20th when under pressure. That stat isn’t cherry-picked either. Across the board, his numbers nosedive when things break down. And in Seattle, there’s a real chance he’ll be dealing with pressure often.
The one bright spot offensively is the addition of Clint Kubiak as offensive coordinator. It was a great hire, and his system does a good job of masking weak offensive line play. That’s going to be critical because this offensive line is going to test him.
This offensive line was a disaster last year. The Seahawks gave up the most unblocked sacks in the league and finished 25th in PFF pass-blocking grades. They did try to address it by drafting Grey Zabel at 18th overall, and I loved that pick. Zabel was an elite pass blocker in college, posting a 93.1 PFF grade, and he’s solid in the run game too. Charles Cross also had a strong year and looks like a reliable piece at left tackle. Those two are the clear bright spots. But the rest of the line is a major concern.
Olusegun Oluwatimi is the projected starting center, and at best, he might be able to develop into an average player. He only played in 10 games last season and consistently struggled in pass protection. Right guard Anthony Bradford is another major liability, as he allowed 7 sacks, 20 QB hits, and 28 pressures in just 11 games. Abraham Lucas at right tackle is okay, but even he gave up 4 sacks in only 7 games last year. There’s a strong chance the entire right side of this line gets eaten alive this season.
Overall, I think this will be a steady, run-heavy offense that takes shots downfield. But there’s a hard ceiling here. I’m projecting them to be around the 22nd-best offence this year. Last year, they ranked 15th in success rate and 18th in EPA, and I find it pretty clear they are worse. With a strong defense, it still might be enough to sneak into the playoffs, but this offense has taken a step back, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Darnold experiment ends up being a short one.
Is Liam Cohen the Missing Piece to Unlock the Jaguars’ Explosive Potential? (1/2)
The Jaguars made their biggest swing of the offseason by hiring Liam Cohen as head coach after he orchestrated a top-five offense as the Bucs’ OC. His offense in Tampa was built on a creative passing game and a well-blocked, highly efficient rushing attack. His strengths lie in play design, sequencing, and teaching. Now, as a head coach, he’ll need to learn how to manage the entire operation without losing the edge that made him such a good playcaller.
That said, even if Cohen takes time to adjust to the head coaching demands, this hire still elevates Jacksonville’s floor. The bar was set so low last year under Shane Waldron that simply having the 15th-best playcaller could result in massive production. And with Trevor Lawrence, rookie sensation Travis Hunter, and breakout star Brian Thomas Jr., Cohen has the tools to field one of the NFL’s most explosive units.
Cohen did an excellent job tailoring Tampa Bay’s offense to Baker Mayfield’s strengths. He also showed real adaptability; in 2023, he wanted to run wide zone before pivoting midseason to gap scheme runs when that proved more effective. He leaned into personnel groupings he hadn’t used often if matchups favored it. His screen game was one of the best in the league (4th highest rate), both well-coached and creative. He schemed open receivers with pick plays and layered concepts, and that attention to detail showed up in everything from blitz pickup to WR releases. There’s no doubt this offense was one of the best-coached units in football last year.
Is Liam Cohen the Missing Piece to Unlock the Jaguars’ Explosive Potential? (2/2)
And now he inherits one of the most exciting wide receiver rooms in the league. Travis Hunter is the best WR prospect I’ve seen in years. He’s dominant against man and zone, has elite hands, and is explosive after the catch. Opposite him, Brian Thomas Jr. is already a borderline top-10 WR with his rare blend of size, speed, YAC, and contested catch ability. Dyami Brown is a quality WR3 and fits perfectly in the screen game. Tight end Brenton Strange isn’t flashy but is a steady option.
Up front, the Jags revamped their interior offensive line by bringing in Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey. Mekari held up well as a spot starter in Baltimore, and Hainsey was steady in Tampa. At tackle, the trio of Ezra Cleveland, Walker Little, and Antoine Harrison has potential. But all three come with question marks. Still, Cohen has a track record of coaching up O-lines. The Bucs’ unit handled blitzes and stunts with clinic-level precision last year. Even if this group lacks high-end talent, they could be much better coached and more functional under Cohen’s system.
Then there’s Trevor Lawrence. His career has been rough, to say the least, but the raw talent is still obvious. He’s never played in a system that maximized his ability. If this infrastructure is what it looks like on paper, with better coaching, elite WRs, and a competent line, Lawrence is a dark horse MVP candidate. This setup finally gives him a real shot to show how special he can be.
The pieces are in place. The Jaguars have elite top-end talent, a brilliant offensive mind now running the show, and the kind of WR room that can take over games. I’ve been high on this team before, but this time it feels different. This time, they might prove me right.
Can Travis Hunter Really Play Both Ways in the NFL? (1/3)
The Jaguars made one of the boldest draft day moves of the decade, trading the No. 5 pick, No. 36 pick, and their 2026 first-rounder to draft Travis Hunter. That level of capital for a non-QB is virtually unprecedented. Since 2000, only two players have been traded for something similar on draft night: Julio Jones (2011) and Sammy Watkins (2014). That alone suggests Jacksonville plans on Hunter being a heavy-impact player from Day 1.
Hunter is a unicorn prospect. On pure wide receiver ability, he’d be a top-tier prospect in any draft year. In last year’s stacked WR class, he likely would have gone second behind Marvin Harrison Jr. He has no weaknesses as a receiver; he lined up almost exclusively as an X at Colorado and posted elite separation metrics: an 88% success rate vs. zone and top-five marks vs. man coverage. Press coverage is a non-issue thanks to his advanced release package, footwork, and leverage skills. He dropped just one pass in 2023 and brought in 81.8% of contested targets, all while being dynamic after the catch. Hunter truly has the upside to become a top 5 WR in the NFL.
Can Travis Hunter Really Play Both Ways in the NFL? (2/3)
The dilemma is that he’s also an elite cornerback prospect. Hunter’s length, quickness, and ball skills make him one of the most naturally gifted corners to come out in years, and he could be the league’s best playmaker at the position right away. But playing both sides of the ball in the NFL is a different animal. Coverages are way more complex than college, and he can’t just be thrown into man coverage every snap without being a liability. In-depth knowledge of either playbook requires countless reps, and splitting time would stunt his ceiling on both sides. There’s also the physical toll; 1,500+ snaps like he played in college simply isn’t sustainable in the NFL’s faster, more punishing environment.
The current plan, per training camp reports, is to have Hunter focus primarily on offense while mixing defensive work into game plans on a week-to-week basis. He’s spending most of his time with the offense, refining his route running, but checks in with defensive coaches during special teams periods. It’s clear the Jaguars feel he can step in and be a very good CB immediately if needed, but they also know he needs more polish as a WR.
Can Travis Hunter Really Play Both Ways in the NFL? (3/3)
From a roster-building standpoint, the Jaguars’ WR depth behind Bian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown isn’t strong. While the CB room with Tyson Campbell, Jerrian Jones, and Monteric Brown is at least serviceable. That, combined with Liam Cohen’s comments about viewing Hunter as “an offensive player first,” points to him playing a heavy snap count on offense with select defensive packages sprinkled in.
The ceiling is sky-high: Hunter could one day be a top-three WR or a top-five CB. But it’s unrealistic to expect him to reach that level at both spots simultaneously. To maximize his potential, at least 75% of his focus needs to be on one side of the ball. The Jaguars appear to agree and will likely lean into offense as his primary role. Either way, expect him to be on the field a ton; the draft capital invested makes it clear they plan to unleash him early and often.
Is JJ McCarthy Ready to Win Now? (1/2)
JJ McCarthy is stepping into arguably the best supporting cast in the NFL and the most quarterback-friendly ecosystem in recent memory. Kevin O’Connell will scheme him easy completions to get him in rhythm, just like he has done for every quarterback he’s coached. He made Kirk Cousins look like an MVP candidate. Revived Sam Darnold’s career and led him to 14 wins, and got Josh Dobbs to perform well on short notice. O’Connell’s motion-heavy offense maximizes versatility and makes life easier on the quarterback.
Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in the league, drawing constant attention and creating space for the other weapons. Jordan Addison is one of the top WR2s in the NFL. Jalen Nailor is a quality deep threat WR3. The offensive line features an elite tackle duo and a rebuilt interior with Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, and rookie Donovan Jackson. This unit turns a former weakness into a strength. Jordan Mason boosts the run game, which is already in line to improve. He was extremely efficient last season behind a worse offensive line and with higher volume.
Is JJ McCarthy Ready to Win Now? (2/2)
At Michigan, JJ was not asked to do much because he did not need to. That team was loaded, but he still had a clear positive impact. He didn’t attempt many true NFL throws. For example, he only threw three far-hash go balls all season. Against Penn State, he threw just eight passes. This isn’t because of a lack of trust, but because they were running all over them. The system limited his volume, not his ability.
What JJ did show was that he is a winner, a sharp processor, a loose and athletic mover, and someone with real arm talent. He has anticipation, protects the football, can drive it outside the numbers, and works the middle of the field. He showed polish and leadership, and coaches raved about him in pre-draft interviews. Even though he is young, he plays with poise and is more than ready to manage games and make timely plays. That is all this team needs. He looked sharp in preseason before getting hurt, and while it is just preseason, that still matters.
He is not the most creative quarterback, and his ceiling may not be sky-high, but he doesn’t need to be a superhero. Just like in college, he needs to help this team win by doing his job, staying on schedule, and delivering when it counts.
